Former reserve police officer challenging Ridenour on Muncie GOP ballot

MUNCIE, Ind. − Tony Cox says he is very familiar with the top reason he decided to run for mayor of Muncie this year. He sees the damage daily caused to vehicles by the streets and roads in Muncie.

Cox, who served as a reserve Muncie police officer from 1983 to 1990, now works at Benson Motorcycles in the city as a Harley-Davidson technician. His platform is the same now as it was when he thought about running four years ago, he said − roads.

"They are worse now than they have ever been," Cox said during his work day at the shop.

In 2019, the rookie politician said he considered running but the local leadership of the Republican Party advised him not to declare for the office. This year he didn't ask.

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Cox said the Ridenour administration hasn't devoted the resources needed to adequately fix streets that suffer from potholes and decay. Even though the city under Mayor Ridenour has bought paving equipment, so the city can now do some of its own work instead of waiting for contractors to become available, Cox says it not enough.

The candidate says the police department is overworked, and while Ridenour has filled many positions on the department, the officers he knows are "worn out" and forced to work overtime.

"Muncie is not a safe place," he said.

According to statistics from the Uniform Crime Reporting Program, as of 2021 Muncie ranked 30th for violent crime among 70 cities in Indiana with 13.38 such crimes per 1,000 people. Terre Haute had the highest rate at 35.86 per 1,000. people, and Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Kokomo and Anderson all having higher violent crimes rates in 2021. That year, Muncie recorded nine homicides, one kidnapping, 119 sex offenses, 29 rape cases.

Cox says Muncie needs to reinstitute the reserve officer program, which he says was eliminated because of liability concerns. The reserves could fill in the gaps and provide more help running security for events and other assignments, freeing frontline police to battle crime.

Cox was employed in Rome City for a number of years as a town marshal.

The Muncie native and Muncie Central High School graduate, who attended Ball State University but did not complete a degree, said he has met with the mayor and thinks he is a "nice guy."

But he said the mayor should work closer with city council and partner with them on pursuing solutions for city problems. Cox also noted that Ridenour consulted with a company to determine what roads needed paving in the city.

"I'm no rocket scientist," Cox said, but he added that he could determine which roads to pave on his own.

The mayor has said that the independent assessment of street needs is dome in conjunction with the Indiana Department of Transportation and that under his administration, streets are not improved based on political favors or whether a city official lives on the street.

Cox said he thinks that too many houses and buildings are being torn down in the city, when instead the city should invest in those structures and make them better.

"I want Muncie to feel good about itself," Cox said.

The primary election polls open at 6 a.m. Tuesday.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Former reserve police officer challenges Ridenour on Muncie GOP ballot